


Waiting for the Stars

by remreader



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, F/M, Fluff, Stargazing, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 11:17:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17807006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/remreader/pseuds/remreader
Summary: Tony & Pepper have a Valentine's Day date to see the stars, but the stars don't show up.





	Waiting for the Stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rebelmeg](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelmeg/gifts).



> This is apparently the kind of fluffy nonsense that my brain comes up with when I've been talking about stargazer Tony Stark in the comments of a Valentine's Day fic...
> 
> This is set on Valentine's Day 2012, at the still-unfinished Stark Tower.

“You want us to go sit out on the balcony of a _skyscraper_ , at night, in the middle of February? Are you insane, Tony?”

“Oh ye of little faith. I've planned this out perfectly. We've got tons of blankets, a thermos of that fancy hot chocolate you love, and I kind of figured, you know…” Tony slipped an arm around Pepper's waist and spun her around so she was facing him, grinning suggestively as he did so, “we might be able to find _some_ other way to keep ourselves warm…Besides, it's such a clear night. It's perfect.”

“Perfect for what?”

“Well Miss Potts, are you aware that among my _many_ talents, I happen to be somewhat of an expert on the wonders of the night sky?”

“You mean that you're a total nerd?” Pepper replied, fondly, “I did know that, actually.”

“Wow, Potts, really? I plan an _extremely_ romantic night of stargazing for us, and this is the response I get. I’m so unappreciated in my own time.”

It _was_ nice, lying curled up together under a pile of blankets while they waited for the stars to come out.

And waited.

“Damn it,” Tony swore softly.

“Hmm?”

“It's the light pollution, the city.” He sighed, wistfully, “On a night like tonight, we should be able to see...so much. It was supposed to be beautiful. I thought maybe we'd be high enough, up here, and with the tower not lit yet…I'm sorry, honey, this must be the lamest Valentine's Day date ever.”

Pepper shifted under the blankets, adjusting so she could reach out and run her fingers reassuringly through Tony's hair, “It's not lame, it's actually really sweet. I love just being here with you, like this, even without the stars.”

But Tony was still fretting. “Maybe I should build you a suit. Space-capable, all the amenities. How about that, Pep? We could fly away from the city, go see the stars together…”

“You know, Tony, someday you're going to meet a problem that _can't_ just be solved by building a suit of armor.” Pepper's voice was mostly teasing, but there was an undercurrent of real concern there.

Tony opened his mouth indignantly for what would surely have been a _brilliantly_ witty retort and Pepper cut him off with a kiss.

“Why don’t you just tell me?” she asked, when they finally broke apart.

“Mhmm, sure, I’ll tell you...wait, what?”

Pepper gestured to the sky, “Tell me what we're supposed to be seeing. We can still stargaze, at least a little bit.”

Tony talked for a long time. He told her about the Moon and the planets and the stars and about nebulae too far away to see even if the whole city were dark and he traced constellations across her skin with calloused fingertips.

“So what do you think, Miss Potts?”

Pepper leaned in close enough that even from just the dim glow of his arc reactor Tony was sure he could count every freckle on her face and maybe that was better than all the stars in all the constellations they weren't currently seeing.

“I think, Mr. Stark,” she said, giving Tony one of those smiles that made him forget about everything else in the universe that wasn't her, “that you should take me to the stars.”


End file.
